Solo Subbuteo 101

  When it comes to solo rules, we often diminish the use of blocking flicks for the sake of allowing games to flow a little better, as well as simplifying the need to be constantly counting the flicks taken when continuous flicks are not employed. I for one addressed this by only allowing blocks before a shot under most circumstances, plus any offside blocks can be used as blocks providing that they are contained within the defensive half. But what happens after a corner or a direct free kick, and the defence come away with the ball, or a shot is saved and the defence take possession. A wall after a direct free kick is left in situ, likewise a corner, if the defence come away with the ball, I must be honest at this point and say it’s doesn’t bother me that much, mainly because of other rules I have in place, like no offsides from set pieces in the area, and making free kicks in the area indirect because of my offside rule. Now not everyone plays to my quirky rules, a...

  Having just finished my second solo season, I’ve had a little time to reflect on how it all went, did the rule changes achieve their aims. On the whole yes, the modified blocking rules allowed the games to flow, and helped reduce the average goals per game to somewhere between 3 and 4, the free hit rule allowed the odd unopposed shot, and the simplified offside rule negates constant monitoring. So all in all I’m a happy bunny. But one thing was and still is bugging me, how to set up at goal kicks. So What’s The Problem As solo players most of us try to keep away from setting up for goal kicks with the 7 defenders spread across the shooting line and 3 wee fellas hovering around between the shooting areas, it doesn’t seem real, and adds nothing to enhance our furtive imaginations, or make each game somewhat different from the last. Even so my games started to feel the same when setting the field for goal kicks, I wasn’t using the 7-3 style, bu...

  Over a period of time I’ve had discussions with fellow solo players about managing a S olo L eague. Some want full realistic leagues, then realise they can’t play all the games some are happy to use some form of simulation to help play out the league to it’s conclusion. Others go down the Fantasy route with fictitious teams. There are many other ways you can set things up, from the teams involved to the size of the league, but the biggest concern you will always have is how much time will it take to complete it. I touched on this subject a few months ago but I thought now might be a good time to revisit the subject and maybe go into a little more detail, than perhaps I did previously. From a personal point of view Solo Play should be just that. One sets things up, then play out the games in real time. No simulation every result is decided on the baize. For me that is S olo play. You may disagree here, and at the end of the day you will always go the...

It’s something I’ve never really thought about in the solo game, but I know plenty of other players who have, and it never ceases to amaze me at the lengths some players go, in their pursuit of what they perceive as realism in their games. I recently had a pleasant email exchange with Phil Marsden creator of the “Alive and Flicking” Facebook Group who told me about his LOGacta based system to decide if any team in a match had an advantage. If you’re not familiar with the L OG acta principle it was a dice game that was on sale during the mid 70’s and into the 80’s. I t basically consisted of different coloured dice which whereby a league season including cup competitions could be simulated by rolling dice which were all biased differently. Each team w as given a dice to roll in a match, which dice they rolled was dependant on whether that team was playing at home or away, it’s league position compared to it’s opponent, and the kind of form that team was in at the time...